THE HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB AND THE NRL - THIS COULD BE THE ULTIMATE SPORTING PILGRIMAGE

By Darren Winningham | Thursday, April 23, 2026

The NRL has made no secret of its global ambitions, and now a bold new partnership is on the table - one that could turn Hong Kong into the hottest destination on the rugby league calendar.

Imagine this:

A season-opening NRL blockbuster in one of the world’s most iconic cities, and wrapped around it will be an experience of two of the most amazing racetracks in the world … the spectacular, the iconic, the electric and neon-lit Happy Valley by night, and then Sha Tin, a track that imposes luxury and amazing facilities – the perfect pair!

That could be the vision behind a possible collaboration between the NRL and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, designed to lure Australian fans across the equator for a week where rugby league meets world-class horse racing.

With the NRL already expanding into Las Vegas, CEO Andrew Abdo has made it clear the league wants to take rugby league to the world’s biggest cities … Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, London — and now Hong Kong — is firmly in the conversation.

Hong Kong offers something unique – a city that never sleeps, a fanbase hungry for major events, and a racing culture that rivals anything in the world. It is everything Aussies love — food, nightlife, racing — and only eight hours away with cheap, frequent flights.

A vision that is shared at the top!

Speaking at the FWD Champions Day barrier draw at Sha Tin, Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges was enthusiastic about the concept.

“We are definitely looking at this,” Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. “That’s one of the reasons we brought Casper in (Mr Casper Stylsvig as Executive Director, Sports Business) - to expand our sports marketing and build more of these partnerships. We would be extremely glad to have a Happy Valley race meeting with the NRL. But of course, bringing teams over and securing the stadium requires a true partnership.”

Hong Kong’s stadium infrastructure is world-class, and Engelbrecht-Bresges sees the opportunity clearly, “With the new stadium, Hong Kong becomes one of the global hubs for major events. Conceptually, this would be a very interesting concept”

He even outlined a potential structure, “There are multiple options. I think having an NRL game on Saturday which I think fits Australian broadcasters. With Wednesday at Happy Valley and Sunday at Sha Tin — that is the perfect week for sport.”

And WINNO, ever the visionary, can already see how the week would unfold – much the same concept at the innovative HJKC CEO:

Wednesday Night at Happy Valley — The Warm-Up

The week kicks off under the lights at Happy Valley, where the beer gardens overflow, the grandstands shake, and the skyline glows above the track.

Aussies already adore Happy Valley. Now picture it filled with NRL fans in jerseys, bopping along to live bands, devouring local street food trackside, and turning “Happy Wednesday” into a rugby league-themed street party.

For those wanting something fancier, the HKJC rolls out the red carpet — buffet dinners, premium bars, and sweeping views of the track from the grandstands.

Magic Round meets Hong Kong nightlife – one word spectacular.

Saturday — The NRL Season Opener

Then comes the main event.

Two NRL heavyweights — Broncos vs Roosters, Storm vs Panthers, Knights vs Cowboys — squaring off in front of a packed Hong Kong Stadium – a capacity of 40,000 fans.

The time zone is perfect: a Saturday night blockbuster beamed straight back into Australian lounge rooms.

And the backdrop? Hong Kong’s skyline, fireworks, lasers, drones — the full entertainment arsenal the city is famous for.

Tens of thousands of travelling Aussies. A global broadcast audience. A city that embraces major events like few others.

The NRL wants global reach. Hong Kong wants global sport. It is a perfect match.

Sunday at Sha Tin — The Finale

To cap it off, fans head to Sha Tin for one of the most spectacular racetracks in the world – I am a little biased here.

World-class horses. World-class facilities. World-class atmosphere.

A Sunday at Sha Tin is already a bucket-list experience — add thousands of NRL fans in team colours and you’ve got a sporting festival unlike anything Australia has ever exported.

Travel packages practically sell themselves — rugby league + racing + Hong Kong = irresistible.
This partnership could become the next great Australian sporting tradition — a week where fans fly north to kick off the NRL season, cheer on their team, and soak up two of the best race meetings on earth.


With leaders like Andrew Abdo and Peter V’landys driving the NRL’s global push — and V’landys’ track record of transforming NSW racing with The Everest, The Championships, and countless innovations — the ambition is real.

On the Hong Kong side, you have Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club since 2007, steering one of the world’s most innovative and impeccably run racing organisations.

With visionaries like this behind the concept, success wouldn’t just be likely — it would be inevitable.

More articles